Aftermath part: 2

Hiding from the laughter in the closets of our lives,

But the door hinges are squeaking letting in thin shards of light.

And now a hand's extending outward,

Quiet comfort they invite,

Do we dare take what they offer?

Do we step into the light?

When I die, will they remember not

What I did, but what I haven't done?

It's not the end that I fear with each breath

It's life that scares me to death.

-Rise Against,

Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated

October 1st, 2008

Crusher POV

Crusher nodded gratefully to the bartender as he topped off his whiskey before turning his attention back toward the mounted television currently displaying the results of Sam's trial. Normally, the television in a bar like this would be showing a sporting event of some kind, and it had been earlier until Crusher showed up and changed the channel. Naturally, the few other patrons in the small bar objected to this, but Crusher made it clear he had no intention of relinquishing the remote.

The bar catered to a seedier clientele so it wasn't uncommon for fights to break out over issues like this, but Crusher was a regular at this establishment and his reputation preceded him. None of the local riffraff had any desire to try their luck against him so the matter was settled without any bloodshed.

It was too bad, Crusher would've enjoyed bashing some skulls together. It certainly would have improved his mood. He took a sip of his whiskey as he let his thoughts drift.

Crusher could still remember the day he first met Sam. Crusher had just returned to Gotham after finishing another job. He was making his way home by leaping across rooftops when he noticed someone on the roof of his building. This wasn't unusual as Artemis would train on the roof, but the person on the roof wasn't Artemis. It was a boy. More specifically, it was Sam, the boy who lived in the apartment below his. Crusher didn't really know the kid. Crusher knew that he was friends with Artemis and involved with the local gang, but that was it.

Crusher cleared the last few buildings and leapt onto the roof of his building and approached the kid silently. Sam was sitting on the ground with his knees pulled up to his chest and his head buried between them. As Crusher got closer, he noticed the kid's face was covered in blood and he had a gun on the ground beside him. This was enough to pique Crusher's curiosity, and he decided to talk to the brat.

"You look like shit, kid. What happened?" Crusher asked, amused as the sound of his voice startled the brat. Crusher smirked as he watched Sam scramble to stand up and begin to aim his gun, only to stop as he recognized Crusher.

"Oh, it's just you," He said in a dead tone. Now that Crusher was facing him directly, he got a clear look at the large cut running down the kid's face. Sheesh, someone really carved him up.

"Yeah, me. Now, are you gonna answer my question?" Crusher asked

"Why are you even asking? It's not like it has anything to do with you, and I doubt you care." Sam said as he scowled at him. Sam was doing his best to look tough, but he wasn't fooling anyone. Crusher could see his hands trembling.

"You're right, I don't care. I'm just curious. Not everyday I come home and find a bloody kid on my roof. So, start talking." Crusher said as he smirked at the kid.

Sam tried to stare him down for a minute, but Crusher just laughed. Sam scowled at that and looked away without saying a word. For a moment, he thought that Sam was determined to remain silent. He was just about to walk away and forget about the whole thing when Sam finally began to speak.

"A junkie tried to rob me. I was on my way home after delivering a package for Isaac, when a hand suddenly grabbed me and pulled me into an alley. He had a knife, and told me to give him everything I had. I was scared, this guy looked insane! He was skinny, and covered in open sores. His eyes were bloodshot and he was spitting all over me with every word he spoke. I managed to stomp on his foot and wriggle out of his grasp. I wanted to run, but the alley was a dead end and he was blocking the only exit. I pulled out my gun and told him to leave me alone, but he just laughed!" Sam said in a trembling tone as he struggled not to cry.

"Then, faster than I was expecting, he lunged at me with his knife and cut my face. I…I shot him. When he cut my face, I shot him. Then I kept shooting him until I ran out of bullets. I killed him. I've never killed anyone before," Sam said in a strangled tone as he began to cry, "I ran home after that, and I've been up here since then."

Crusher was glad he stuck around, this story was way more interesting than he expected.

Crusher watched Sam as he openly cried in front of him. He'd obviously been in shock up to this point, and talking about his ordeal had unleashed all the emotions he was trying to keep buried. Crusher couldn't even fault him for crying, the first kill was always the hardest.

Crusher sighed, and asked Sam some follow up questions. It took a minute, but Sam eventually managed to give him all the information he was looking for. Crusher instructed Sam to wait there on the roof, then he left.

Crusher called Isaac to inform him of the situation and told him to clean up the crime scene. Once that was done, Crusher stepped into his apartment to grab a first-aid kit and a bottle of whiskey before returning to the rooftop.

Crusher handed the whiskey to Sam, then he opened the first-aid kit to pull out a needle and sutures to stitch up the cut on his face.

"I suggest you drink up because that's the only anesthetic you're gonna get," Crusher said as he gestured to the bottle Sam was holding. He was mildly impressed when Sam followed his advice and managed to swallow a few mouthfuls without complaint. Crusher was even more impressed when the kid didn't even flinch as he stitched up his face. Crusher worked in silence, and only began to speak once he had finished.

"Look, kid, I'm only going to say this once so listen up. You did the right thing." Crusher said as Sam gave him his full attention. "That scumbag wanted to take what was yours, and you didn't let him. You did what you had to do to survive. That's all there is to it."

"But he didn't have to die! I could have handled things better! If I had been paying more attention to my surroundings I could have avoided that entire thing! I could have shot him in the leg or something! I could have just given him what he wanted! It's all my fault! I fucked up, and someone died as a result!" Sam cried out in a desperate tone.

Crusher was unfazed at Sam's outburst. He simply listened to what the kid was saying and nodded along to every point Sam made.

"You're right, you fucked up," Crusher said in a calm tone, causing Sam to fall silent and stare at him with wide eyes, he hadn't been expecting Crusher to agree with him. "You got caught lacking. You let your guard down, and this city didn't hesitate to make you pay for it"

A pained expression appeared on Sam's face as Crusher's words sunk in. Crusher saw this and continued speaking before Sam completely fell apart.

"Look kid, you shouldn't have let your guard down, but other than that? You did the right thing," Crushed stated calmly, causing Sam to look at him with a confused expression on his face.

"W-what…?" Sam whimpered

"You did the right thing. Aiming for his legs or any non lethal area might not have been enough to stop him. If you're gonna shoot someone, then you shoot to kill. Period. As for simply giving him what he wanted, you already know that wasn't an option. Either he would have killed you to prevent you from talking to the cops, or he would've tried to rob you again later on. Trust me, kid, you did the right thing." Crusher explained in a confident tone, causing Sam to calm down.

Crusher picked up the bottle of whiskey and took a large swallow before he continued to speak.

"Lemme tell you something I heard from an old member of the Falcone Mob back when they were running things in Gotham. All we get, is all we take. You understand? It's a cruel world out here, and if you wanna survive then you gotta be strong enough to take what you want and hold on to it." Crushed said in a solemn tone and watched as Sam thought about what he just heard with a contemplative expression on his face.

"All we get, is all we take," Sam repeated to himself before grinning at Crusher, "I like that."

"You know, you're not as bad as Artemis says," Sam laughed

"Yeah, I bet." Crusher chuckled as he packed up the first-aid kit and stood up, "Take care of yourself, kid. Try not to die." Crusher said as he walked away.

When Crusher returned to his apartment, he went to Artemis' room and asked her to tell him about Sam. Artemis was hesitant at first, no doubt suspicious as to why he was asking, but after reassuring her that he was simply curious she relented. Artemis told him about Sam's situation, and with every word she spoke, Crusher felt his respect for the kid grow.

Sam understood what it meant to be a man.

A man's responsibility is to protect and provide for his family. No matter what the world may throw at him, a man holds his ground and rises to the challenge. Similarly, the more Crusher learned about Sam's home life, the more he grew to despise Sam's father. So much so that, for a moment, he thought about getting involved and making his displeasure known to that sorry excuse for a human being. Ultimately, he decided not to. It simply wasn't his place. That was family business.

After that night, Crusher made sure to invite Sam whenever he would train Artemis. Whatever Crusher taught her, he also taught him. Sam was a quick learner, and always paid attention when Crusher was teaching.

As time went on, Crusher found himself growing fond of Sam. He always wanted a son, and after a while Crusher began to view Sam as the son he never had. Which was an easy thing to do considering how much Sam and Artemis acted like actual siblings. Of course, Crusher wasn't the type to talk about his feelings so he never said anything, but he showed his affection in other ways.

He always took the time to patiently answer any questions Sam had, and even had the rare word of praise to share when he performed well during a spar. Truth be told, Crusher had an easier time interacting with Sam than he ever did with his actual children. Although his relationship with Artemis had improved a bit ever since Sam began training alongside her.

Crusher loved his daughters, and he wouldn't trade them for the world. That being said, Crusher couldn't deny that he struggled as their father. He always struggled to properly connect with them, which no doubt played a large part with Jade deciding to leave. Crusher simply couldn't be what they wanted him to be. What they needed him to be. It simply wasn't in him. They needed the kind of emotional support only a mother could give.

But, Sam? He didn't need any of that. He always did well under Crusher's tutelage, no matter how rough he was with the kid. Sam understood that Crusher was trying to prepare him for anything and everything the world could throw at him.

The only time he ever objected to something was when Crusher suggested he bring his little to train. Sam shut that shit down right away.

Back at the bar, Crusher turned his attention away for the television and finished his drink. Then he ordered another one. It was all he could do given the circumstances. Sam was locked up now. Crusher had no doubt that he'd find a way out eventually, but until that day came, all anyone could do was simply keep on living.

October 1st, 2008

Sindella POV

Sindella had always been a devout catholic. Throughout the most difficult times of her life, she always managed to find solace in her faith. Knowing that God has a plan kept her from falling into despair more times than she could count. The most notable example of that were her pregnancies. Gio and Sindella always wanted a big family, unfortunately it simply wasn't meant to be. Sindella had only ever given birth to a single child, but she had been pregnant three times in her life.

The first two pregnancies resulted in miscarriages. While they were both agonizing experiences that she wouldn't wish on her worst enemy, the second was the worst of the pair. The first occurred at the end of the first trimester, about a week after they learned the gender of the baby. It was a boy.

It began with her experiencing some minor stomach pain that she dismissed as indigestion, which then escalated to intense cramps. Sindella only realized the severity of the situation after she went to use the bathroom and discovered she was bleeding as she went to wipe.

Sindella and Gio rushed to the emergency room, and prayed nonstop as the doctor gave her a sonogram. The results were inconclusive so Sindella was forced to remain in the hospital for further testing. What followed was a week of tears, blood, tests, cramps, and prayer. In the end, the doctors confirmed that the pregnancy was no longer viable and she had suffered a miscarriage.

Gio did what he could to comfort her, but he simply didn't understand what Sindella was going through. No man could possibly understand. Nonetheless, Gio was there for her throughout her recovery doing the best he could to ease her pain.

For weeks Sindella broke down in tears whenever she noticed herself unconsciously rubbing her belly. Every trip to the bathroom was an ordeal. She had to make a conscious effort not to look down as she wiped because if she didn't, she would remember holding that bloody wad of toilet paper that led to her rushing to the hospital. Sometimes she even needed to come to the bathroom with her and hold her hand so she wouldn't be lost in the memories. Gio never once complained about this.

It wasn't easy, but Sindella eventually recovered. Several months later Gio and Sindella decided to make another attempt at a family and Sindella once again found herself pregnant.

Sindella's first pregnancy had left her paranoid, which resulted in her rushing to the hospital any time she felt the slightest hint of pain. Everytime the doctors would simply run their tests and reassure her that everything was fine. No matter how many times she did this, Gio would never complain. He simply held her hand the entire time and provided whatever comfort he could.

Things progressed well, and eventually Sindella's paranoia subsided as she allowed herself to believe that this time would be different. The doctors informed her and Gio that they would be having a boy. They decided to name him after Gio's late father Samuel. They built a nursery for him, and did everything they could think of to prepare the house for Samuel's arrival. For a brief moment in time, everything was perfect.

Unfortunately, it didn't last.

Halfway through her third trimester Sindella suffered another miscarriage. This was far worse than the first, and the doctors told Sindella that it was unlikely she would ever be able to have children. Sindella felt her heart shatter when she heard that. She felt like a failure as a woman.

Sindella sobbed and apologized to Gio for not being able to give him the family they both wanted. Gio responded by hugging her and reassuring Sindella that it wasn't her fault and that he loved her regardless. Gio hid it well, but Sindella could tell that this miscarriage had hurt him far more than the first. Maybe it was because they had already picked out a name and built a nursery.

What followed was the most difficult part of her life. Sindella remembered sobbing in the nursery as she traced the name of her lost child carved on the crib.

Thankfully, with help from Gio, her faith, and therapy, Sindella made it through this bleak period of her life. Gio and Sindella discussed adoption, but they decided against it. They simply weren't ready to accept that they would never be able to have a child of their own. After much discussion, they decided they would make one more attempt to have a child of their own before considering adoption. It was a full year before Sindella felt ready to attempt another pregnancy.

For months, whenever Sindella would even think about attempting another pregnancy, she would nearly be overcome with intense feelings of terror and anxiety at the thought of suffering another miscarriage. From time to time Gio would bring up the subject only to be shot down. Sindella would simply tell him that she wasn't ready. Gio always accepted her answer and never tried to pressure her into anything. He was more than happy to allow Sindella to set the pace for the progression of their family. They were young, and had plenty of time to raise a family.

Sindella always appreciated this, and it served as a constant reminder of why she had fallen in love with Giovanni Zatara. It wasn't until a random event occurred that Sindella felt ready to try again.

It was a sunday, and like every other sunday Sindella found herself at church. The only thing that made this day different was the fact that, in addition to the usual sermon, another member of the congregation was having a baptism for her child. Her name was Eva.

Sindella didn't know Eva all too well, but she still considered her a friend. They never spent any time together outside of church, but Eva had always shown genuine love and support to Sindella throughout her ordeals. Which was something Sindella would always be grateful for.

While the church congregation was aware of the tragedies that had befallen Gio and Sindella as they struggled to start a family, they didn't have all the details. Gio and Sindella had never told anyone what they had decided to name their unborn son. Which is why it was such a jarring experience for Sindella when Eva introduced her infant son Samuel to the congregation before she handed him to the priest for his baptism.

Sindella watched the baptism with a pained expression on her face and tears in her eyes. She wondered if she had done something to offend God and was now being punished. What could she have possibly done to deserve this? Being forced to watch as Eva was blessed with a beautiful baby boy with the same name as the one that was ripped away from Sindella.

Sindella knew that God always had a plan. She had always drawn comfort from this, but now she found herself wondering about her role in the plan. Was she meant to be some sort of sacrificial lamb? An example for all the women of the congregation to look towards as a reminder to be grateful for their families? Sindella wasn't sure she could bear such a cruel fate.

Sindella continued to think along those lines for the rest of the sermon. When church finally ended, Sindella wanted nothing more than to simply make a quiet escape and go home, but Eva derailed those plans. She approached Sindella before she could leave and introduced her to Sam. Eva seemed to pick up on Sindella's poor mood, and insisted that she hold Sam at least once before going home. Sindella tried to object, but she found herself overruled with a baby in her arms. That was the moment when everything changed for Sindella.

Sindella held Sam in her arms and felt every negative thought and emotion she had being thrown aside as he smiled up at her. Sindella was filled with warmth and love. Sindella chose to take it as a sign from God that it was time to try again.

Not long after that Sindella found herself pregnant once again. Gio was surprised at her during this time since she showed none of the paranoia or anxiety that had plagued her during her previous pregnancy. Sindella simply told him that it was because she knew this time would be different, and it was. Her claim was validated when she gave birth and was blessed with a beautiful baby girl that she named Zatanna.

Sindella never told anyone what caused her to finally accept the risk of another pregnancy. Gio chose not to question the sudden change in mindset, and simply assumed that enough time had finally passed. Which was certainly a large factor in her decision, it wasn't the main one. Sindella knew in her heart that if she had succeeded in her attempt to leave the church that day without anyone noticing and hadn't been forced by Eva to hold Sam she might have never felt ready to attempt another pregnancy. Sindella would always be grateful to Eva and baby Same for their actions that day. It was because of them that Sindella now had Zatanna.

It wasn't all good news though. Zatanna's birth had been a difficult one, and afterwards the doctors had informed her that she would never be able to have another child. It should have been devastating news, but Sindella couldn't bring herself to care. She was satisfied with Zatanna, and if she was the only child she would ever have then so be it.

Sindella wondered if this had been God's plan all along. She and Gio had always wanted a large family, and yet neither of them was bothered by the doctor's news. Did God force her to suffer those two miscarriages so she would be satisfied with a single child? Was this God's way of telling her that every child was a miracle and should be treated as such? Sindella didn't know the answer to any of those questions.

When Zatanna was five, she asked Sindella why she didn't have any brothers or sisters. Sindella told her about her struggles with pregnancy (albeit an abridged and child friendly version of the story) and told Zatanna that she was her little miracle baby.

Later on, Sindella wondered if she had made a mistake by sharing that information with her daughter. Zatanna was always such a good girl and tried her best at everything she did. So much so that Sindella wondered if Zatanna was putting undue pressure on herself to make up for the children Sindella lost or simply couldn't have. Zatanna seemed genuinely happy though, so Sindella never said anything. She simply chose to dote on her daughter and allow her whatever she wanted (within reason), especially since she never asked for much.

Sindella never told Sam about her friendship with Eva. She never told him how he changed her life when he was just a baby simply by smiling up at her as she held him. She never told him how she knew him during his formative years. She never told him that she once held Miguel when he was a baby and chatted with Eva while he and Zatanna played tag. She never told him how she mourned his mother's death.

She certainly never told Sam how she was so preoccupied with her own family that she barely even noticed when he and his family stopped coming to church.

Sindella always harbored a fair amount of guilt over this and often wondered if there wasn't more that she could have done to help them in the aftermath of Eva's death. Maybe that guilt was the reason she supported Sam and Zatanna's relationship from the very beginning.

Sindella was surprised when she discovered that her daughter had a boyfriend. She was astounded when she learned that her daughter's boyfriend was not only the son of her long dead friend, but also the reason her daughter even existed in the first place!

While Sindella was happy to be reunited with Sam and Miguel, she also felt a fair bit of shame. By this point, they had both been coming to church for weeks and she hadn't even realized it. Sindella hadn't recognized them at first, and neither of them remembered her. If it was for Zatanna, Sindella might have never realized who they were. Sindella vowed to do better from that point on.

Sam brought Miguel and Artemis to church every Sunday, and Sindella would go out of her way to interact with them briefly. Over time, Sindella grew quite fond of them, and she knew the feeling was mutual. Sindella wondered if this was God's way of rewarding her faith. By giving her both Sam and Miguel for the two sons that she lost, and Artemis as a second daughter for all the kids she couldn't have.

Sindella knew that Sam wasn't as devout as her. To be completely honest she wasn't sure if he even believed in God. She knew that Artemis didn't, the girl had stated outright that the only reason she only came to church was to accompany Sam and to hang out with Zatanna. When Sindella asked Sam why he was so adamant about going to church every Sunday, he simply told her that he did it for Miguel. He wanted to provide as much stability and consistency for his little brother as he possibly could.

Sindella couldn't help but be proud of Sam when she heard that. He was such a good boy, always caring about those around him and sacrificing so much to ensure their well being.

Sindella was happy that Sam was dating Zatanna, she knew that he would always take good care of her. Sindella already considered him and Miguel as the sons she never had, but she knew that Gio didn't have the same opinion on the matter as she did.

It was clear to anyone who paid attention that Sam was not the most law-abiding citizen. This was made obvious by Sam always having a gun with him. It wasn't something that was readily apparent, but after seeing him week after week Sindella eventually noticed the consistent bulge under one of his pants legs, which she eventually realized was a holster.

Sindella never brought it up. She wasn't thrilled about the idea of a child carrying a firearm, but she knew that she had no say in the matter and she trusted Sam to be responsible. Sindella didn't know much about Sam's home life or his father, but she knew they were both far from ideal. Sindella wished there was more she could do for her boys, but hands were tied at the moment.

Sindella had expressed a desire to have Sam and Miguel come live with them, but Gio was adamantly against it. He said that he didn't want to have a delinquent like Sam anywhere near Zatanna. Sindella saw that Gio wasn't going to change his mind and chose to drop the issue. She figured that Sam was doing a good enough job taking care of himself and his brother. If he ever needed any help then she would intervene, but until then she would keep quiet.

When Sam showed up to church one weekend with a stitched up cut running down the left side of his face, Sindella realized that he may not have handled as well as she thought. She tried to find out what happened to him, but her efforts were brushed aside. It didn't matter how many times she asked Sam how he received his injury, all he would say is that he ran into a bit of trouble but it was resolved now and everything was fine. Sindella felt her heart break a bit when Sam said that and smiled at her with reassuring eyes and a scarred face. It made her remember the smile he had given her as a baby, and the contrast between the two was heartbreaking.

Sindella knew he was lying, but accepted his answer anyway. She knew it was all he was going to say on the matter. She knew from past experience that if Sam didn't want to talk about something there was nothing she could do about it. Everything she knew about his home life she had learned from Zatanna, not Sam. He was an extremely private person. Whenever sindella asked about his father and why he didn't come to church, Sam would simply say that Josias wasn't feeling well and refused to elaborate.

The fact that Sam called his father by his first name spoke volumes to Sindella.

Eventually, Sindella decided that she would simply pray for Sam and have faith that everything would work out fine in the end. She chose to believe that God was simply testing him and wouldn't give Sam more than he could handle. Even so, Sindella prayed for Sam, because she knew he deserved far more than he had been given so far in his life.

Sindella held that belief for a long time, but now she wasn't so sure.

As Sindella watched the news report on the verdict of Sam's trial, she found herself questioning her faith. God always has a plan, but what kind of plan could God have that would require Sam's family to endure so many tragedies? What kind of plan would require Sam to suffer and struggle so much just to survive and provide for his family? Why would God enact a plan that forced a kind boy like Sam to kill another human being?

Sindella didn't know the answers to any of those questions. All she knew was that once again her sons were being ripped away from her and she was powerless to stop it. But this time instead of faceless unborn babies, it was a pair of sons that she had spent years with. Sons that had firmly carved their place in her heart.

Was God actually punishing her this time? Was this happening because she hadn't done more to help them over the years? Was she supposed to take them into her home no matter what her husband had to say on the matter? Was she supposed to have found some way to convince Gio to agree with her rather than simply accepting the situation? What was the message here? If you refuse to take proper care of your children they'll be ripped away from you? Is that what God was trying to tell her?

It wasn't as though the damage was limited to Sam and Miguel, everyone was affected. Her daughter was hurting and Sindella didn't know how to help her, so she took Zatanna to see a therapist. It didn't seem to help all that much, but Sindella did notice some improvement. After one of the sessions, Zatanna confided in Sindella that her therapist thought she was suffering from grief. Zatanna was confused at first, but then her therapist explained that someone didn't have to die to be removed like that. Sam was still alive, but he had still been ripped out of her life and there was no sign of him finding his way back. When it was explained like that, Sindella couldn't help but agree with the therapist.

Then there was Miguel's situation. Sindella couldn't remember a single time in her life where she was as angry at Gio as she was when she told him she wanted to adopt Miguel and he refused. They argued vehemently over the subject. Gio's opinion hadn't changed over the years and he simply said he didn't want him around Zatanna. Sindella argued that Miguel was an innocent child who had nothing to do with any illegal actions Sam may have engaged in, but Gio refused to listen. Sindella refused to drop the subject, but she changed her approach. Instead of loud and intense arguments she chose to slow down and chip away at Gio's resolve until he gave in.

Unfortunately, she didn't have enough time for that approach to work. The case worker she had been speaking to informed her that Miguel had been taken in by someone else before she managed to get Gio to change his mind. The case worker wouldn't even reveal who Miguel had ended up with.

Miguel was gone from her life and Sindella was furious with Gio because of it. She didn't speak with him for days. It wasn't until Zatanna told her that she had spoken with Artemis and found out that Miguel had been taken in by Bruce Wayne that Sindella managed to calm down and chose to believe that Miguel would be alright. She was still furious with Gio, but she knew that would eventually subside.

Sindella glanced at a nearby clock and realized that it was time for her to get started on dinner. She stood up from the couch only to sit right back down as she felt a jarring pain run through her head. She'd been suffering from migraines lately and they've been getting steadily worse. Sindella attributed this to stress, but she had scheduled a doctor's appointment for the following week if only to be cautious.

As Sindella waited for the pain to subside, she let her thoughts drift towards Sam and Miguel. She wondered if they would be alright. She prayed for them every night. It wasn't much, but it was all she could do for them.

October 3rd, 2008

(22 months before the start of canon)

Sam POV

As I followed the guard leading me to my new cell, I was reminded of one simple fact of life. Image matters. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise. People will say trite crap like 'it's what's on the inside that counts' and 'don't judge a book by its cover' but nine times out of ten they have no idea what they're talking about. They're only parroting back things they've heard at one point or another.

Humans are literally hardwired to judge based on appearance. It's a survival instinct. Obviously you shouldn't only judge someone or something on their outward appearance, but it definitely matters. First impressions matter.

And right now I'm doing everything I can to make a good one. I'm walking with my chin-up, perfect posture, and a stoic expression on my face as I follow the guard. I'm staring straight ahead and ignoring all of the other inmates currently watching me.

I'm the new kid on the block, and they want to see what I'm made of. I'm fucked if I show even a hint of weakness. Contrary to popular belief, you don't actually have to be the strongest guy around to be safe. You just have to be strong enough to make targeting you think you're more trouble than you're worth. That's what I'm aiming for right now, and it's working. Even without looking I can feel turning their attention away from me and back to whatever they were doing before I arrived.

The guard I was following finally stops beside an open cell then turns around and grins at me.

Uh-oh

I don't like that grin.

"Here we are, Cop-killer! Home, sweet home!" The guard yells out at the top of his voice.

"YOU MOTHERFUCKER!" I screamed internally. Now everyone is fully focused on me. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if one of those idiots gave themselves whiplash from how fast they turned to look in my direction. Sure, his words would be extremely helpful when it came to establishing my reputation, but I had fully intended on keeping my head down and getting the lay of the land before I made any overt moves. This fucker just ruined any chance of that happening.

I looked down at the guard's badge to get his name.

Eric Hale

Fuck you, Eric Hale!

"You're a prick, you know that?" I sighed

Eric just laughed and began to walk past me.

"And don't you forget it, Cop-killer!" Eric said as he slipped something into my hand while turning his body just enough to obscure the hand off while still looking completely natural. It took every last bit of self control I had to maintain my stoic facade while this was happening. "Lonnie! I brought your new celly! Y'all get along you hear?" Eric said before he walked away.

I walked into my cell as calmly and quickly as I could manage to escape the spotlight I had been thrust under.

"Cop-killer, huh?" Lonnie said as he hopped off the top bunk and stood in front of me, "what's the story there?"

I took a long look at my new cellmate before responding. He was a few inches taller than me and had a deceptively strong build. He was kinda skinny, but I could tell that he had plenty of muscle. He had long, straight, blonde hair. He had blue eyes, and an angular face with a sharp jawline. He looked like he was a year or two older than I was.

"He didn't mind his own business, and I took offense to that." I said in a calm tone as I stared Lonnie down.

My statement was technically true. That cop would still be alive if he hadn't shot at me first. Although one could argue that he was minding his business since he was an on duty law enforcement officer and I was a criminal. Whatever, I like my version of events better.

Lonnie quiet for a moment as he returned my stare, but then he grinned and burst out laughing.

"Ooh, scary!" Lonnie laughed, "I think you and I are gonna get along just fine, Cop-killer. Top bunk's mine. If you got a problem with that, too bad." Lonnie said as he hopped up onto his bed and staked his claim.

"Whatever," I replied as I slid into the bottom bunk and examined what Eric had given me.

It was a flip phone. I flipped it open and was greeted with a notification for an unheard voicemail. This should be interesting.

I adjusted my position on the bed so that no one could see me holding the phone to my ear from outside the cell before I started playing the voicemail. I recognized the voice the instant I heard it. It was Crusher. Crusher had sent the phone.

Hey, kid.

I heard you got pinched? Don't sweat it, happens to the best of us. Kudos to you for killing that pig. With how corrupt Gotham Pd is, it's practically a public service! HA! Personally, I would've given you a medal, but I guess the Judge thought otherwise.

I couldn't help but smile when I heard that. Of course Crusher would be proud of me for smoking a cop. Well, it's good to know some things never change.

Alright, enough chit-chat.

First of all, you don't have to worry about your brother anymore. I looked into his situation. Lucky bastard went and got himself adopted my Bruce Fucking Wayne of all people so he's gonna be eating with a silver spoon from now on.

Well, fuck. My lawyer had already told me that he ended up in a good home, but I wasn't expecting him to end up with the fucking Prince of Gotham! Good for him. Miguel was long overdue for some good luck. He'll be way better off with Wayne than he ever was with me. Probably happier too.

That thought brought me up short and made me reconsider the situation. When my lawyer told me that he had been adopted, he also said that he had received a visitation request from them and Miguel.

I turned it down.

It hurt but I couldn't bring myself to face Miguel in that state. I knew he wouldn't blame me for everything going to shit, but he would want me to reassure him that everything would be ok. That I would somehow avoid jail and we would all go home and everything would go back to the way it was.

I knew I wouldn't be able to do that so I denied the request. I also didn't want to give his new caretakers any reason to change their mind and return Miguel to the shelter. I figured he was better off as far away from me as possible.

I guess I was right. I decided right then and there to deny any future visitation requests that they might send. Miguel would be fine without me. He still had Artemis, Zatanna, and Sindella. That should be more than enough.

As for you, well I got some good news and I got some bad news. It's a real mixed bag.

On one hand, you got 30 years with no chance of parole. That's sitting nice and pretty in the 'not good' category. Fortunately for you prison breaks are a fairly regular occurrence in this city. Unfortunately for you, that only applies to actual prisons. So you're stuck in the klink until you turn 18 and get transferred to Blackgate. After that, it's only a matter of time until you can bust outta there. So get comfy, cuz you're gonna be there a while.

Don't take that as an excuse to slack off, cuz it's not. Use your time productively while you're in there, kid. Hell, I'm pretty sure I learned more during the time I spent behind bars than I ever did in a classroom. And since you're forced to attend classes while you're in there, you technically get the best of both worlds.

Also, I made some calls to get you a bit of help while you're there. I took the cash you left with Artemis and used it to help you out. I used some of it to get you the phone you're currently holding, I put a grand onto your commissary account. I suggest you make it last cuz you're not getting any more. And I used the last of it to buy you some protection with one of the groups in there.

Good luck in there, kid. Try not to die, and I'll see ya when you get out. Don't let anyone make you into their bitch. Remember.

All we get, is all we take.

*click*

Well, looks like I'm in a way better position than I initially thought. Thanks, Crusher.

That bastard can try to hide it as much as he wants, but I know he's not as heartless as he'd like people to believe.

His advice makes sense so I think I'll follow it. Besides, it's not like I have anything better to do. I might as well take advantage of every opportunity I can. After all, Crusher's right.

All we get, is all we take.

That's the chapter! Hope you liked it! Be sure to favorite, follow, and leave a review!

Remember, the more reviews this gets the more motivation I have to write which means y'all get faster updates.

If any of you want to support me directly, you can donate to me at p t-r3-0n (you know the one) dot com slash DelinquentDream.

Review Responses:

Doc. Spontaneous: lol yeah I always found it funny that Giovanni Zatarra was canonically a devout catholic

Sten227: Miguel is a little kid, right now he has no idea that robin had anything to do with Sam's arrest. He might hold a grudge when he finds out, he might not. Who knows?

Son of Sparda2099: Thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it. Yeah I tried to show Crusher's more human side in this chapter too. He might not be a good father by any metric, but he does care about his kids. People forget that he straight up wanted to 'unalive' Black Manta and Aqualad when he thought they had killed Artemis in canon.

Glad you enjoyed the conversation between Artemis and Zatanna. I did my best to show that it's really just a bad situation for everyone involved. They understand why he did what he did, and they don't blame him. They just wish things had turned out differently. That's actually why I chose the song lyrics at the beginning of the previous chapter. Especially the last line.

As for Miguels future relationship with Sam. I definitely have some good stuff planned and I've already dropped plenty of hints with all the references to religion. If you know your bible trivia then the origins of their names should give you a decent idea of what the future has in store.

As for the timeline, this chapter takes place 22 months before the start of canon.

Dante687: thanks for the review! I won't give any spoilers about Sams future abilities but I promise you it'll be good so I guess you'll just have to read and find out